Collar stays



D. ROBINSON COLLAR STAYS May 17, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1957 lea 73 FIG.5

28 9;?? F I G. 6

fla FIG/7 INVENTOR DAVID ROBINSON ATTORNEY D. ROBINSON May 17, 1960 COLLAR STAYS Filed Aug. 6. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.16

FIG.17

FIG.18

'FIG. 19

O 2 mm P ATTORNEY COLLAR STAYS David Robinson, Union City, NJ. Application August 6, 1951, Serial N0. 676,665

19 Claims. c1. 2-132 This invention relates to stays for garments, particularly collars and more particularly to stays made of two superposed elements.

More particularly, the present invention, in one of its forms, relates to a stay comprising two superposed elements, means for securing the elements to each other near their ends, the intermediate portion of one element, between the securing means, being longer than the intermediate portion of the second element, resulting in the longer one being bowed away from the shorter one. Such constructions provide a stay with a permanent bow which is .-not under pressure except when the stay is bent away from the body. 3 This provides a spring-down action which always maintains the collar tips down against the, body of the wearer.

The problem of preventing the curling of collars has been one of themost vexing problems for the industry. In the past, curling has been reduced by means of buttoning down the ends of the collars, by means of stiffened or fused collars, or by means of fiat stays. None of these methods has proved adequate to preventing curling.

A recent patent, No. Re. 23,617, has approached this problem by using a two element stay having a compression-resistant element and an elastic element, the elastic element, in the stretched condition, being attached to the other element. As the elastic element connitecl States Patent remains relatively planar.

tracts, it curls the other element, thus producing a stay with a curl. However, this stay is relatively difiicult to manufacture, and since it uses rubber as-its elastic element, it has a poor shelf life. Furthermore, the rubber, when exposed to the heat of ironing, loses its elasticity. Furthermore, rubber does not stand up under dry clean- Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hat collar stay, comprising two superposed substantially similarly shaped elements in order to provide greater rigidity than is obtainable by the use of a single thickness stay. a

The invention and the advantages thereof will be readily comprehended from the following detailed description.

In the drawingsr Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of the invention; a

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the stay of Fig. 1 prior to its being folded to form'the final stay; I

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are plan views of other modifications, all showing the stay in its unfolded condition;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the stay of Fig. 5 in its folded and assembled condition;

Figs. 9 and 10 show perspective views of other modifications of this invention, in which the two elements are made from separate pieces of sheet material;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectionof the stay of Fig. 10;

Fig-12 isa longitudinal cross-section of another modification;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal cross-section of another modification, this modification not having any bowing action;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of a collar showing the stay of Fig. 1 in position.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of another modification showing the stay in its unfolded condition;

a Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the stay of Fig. 15 in its folded and assembled condition;

Fig. 17 is a longitudinal cross-section taken along the line 17-17 of Fig. 16; and

Figs. 18 through 20 are plan views of additional modifications all showing the stay in its unfolded condition.

The stay of Figs. 1 and 2 comprises two elements, upper element 1 and lower element 2. These elements are two parts of a single strip of sheet material. Element l has at the end a tongue 15 while element 2 has near the endan opening 4. The stay indicated generally at 7, is made by being cut, punched or other wise blanked out of a sheet of plastic material. The stay is assembled by folding the stay at 3 and inserting the tongue 15 into the opening 4. The length of element 1 from fold 3 to shoulder 6 is longer than the length of element 2 from fold 3 to the mid-point of opening 4. This extra length of element 1 provides the stay in its assembled condition with a bow as clearly seen in Fig. 1 with element 1 being bowed away from element 2 which This how provides a springdown action to the stay when it is inserted in the collar as shown in Fig. 14.

The stay is inserted into the collar in the conventional manner with the element 2 downward toward the body of the wearer and element 1 away from the body of the wearer. Either end of the stay may be directed toward the point of the collar. If it is desired, as shown in Fig. 14, to have the folded end of the stay in the point of the collar, the stay may be notched as at 8, Figs. 1 and 2, to render this end more pointed or rounded. If it is desired to insert the other end into the point of the collar, that end may be rounded off in the manner shown at 14 in Fig. 4. If this is done, the notch 8 can be eliminated, if so desired, as shown at 15 in Fig. 3.

In the modification just described and in all the other modifications, the stay may be made from any relatively stiif, but springy, sheet material. For example, there may be used steel, or any other metal, or any plastic or resinous material such as cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, nylon, or any other similar material. However, the stay is preferably made of a terephthalic polyester resin sheet material such as sold under the trade name of Mylar. Mylar is not at present made commercially in thicknesses greater than .010". Although the properties of Mylar such as heat-resistance, strength, and ease of fabrication, make it particularly desirable to use as material for collar stays, the present commercial thickness does not have the rigidity which is required in a single stay.

Therefore, since this invention uses a stay having a double thickness, the combined thickness providing the necessary rigidity, it is made possible to use this desirable material in collar stays.

The new stay can be used in exactly the same manner as the single stays of the prior art. It may be permanently sewn into the collar, or it may be removable. It may be positioned in the collar as shown in Fig. 14 or it may be positioned parallel to one of the edges of the collar, as is customary in the manufacture of collars. Its use is not limited to collars and it may be used with other articles of clothing where it is desired to prevent the fabric from curling. For example, the stay may be used in girdles, particularly around the waist band, where the girdle has a tendency to curl away from the body.

Fig. 3 shows another modification of the invention.

at S of Fig. 2. This stay is assembled in the same manner as the stay of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification wherein the opening 16 is a rectangle with the short axis parallel to the told. Additionally, this modification shows the end of the stay rounded off at 14. Instead of a rectangular opening, an oval or elliptical opening may be used.

In both Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 the lengths of elements 9 and 13 respectively, fromthe shoulder to the fold, are longer than the elements 10 and 17 respectively, from the fold to the side of the rectangular opening furthermost removed from the fold.

Fig. illustrates a modified securing means for the end of the stay removed from the fold. Element 24 has near one end two interconnecting slits 20 and 21 while element 23 at its end has a tongue 22 widened at its very end as at 19 to form a T-shaped tongue. In securing the opposed ends of this stay, the tongue 22 is inserted into slit 21 until the widened portion 19 extends through the slit and then the tongue is twisted. slightly to seat the reduced portion 24 of the tongue into slit 21. Although this modification. is slightly more difficult to assemble than in the previously described modifications, it is less liable to become unsecured during the handling of the stay. The assembled stay is shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 6 shows another locking device, differing from that of Fig. 5 essentially, in that there is only a'single slit 26 disposed parallel to the fold. In this modification the tongue 27 is inserted into the slit 26 by bending back the ends 28, 29 of the tongue, inserting them into the slit, and then when the tongue has passed'through the slit the portions 28 and 29 are straightened out.

Fig. '7 shows another modification which is similar to that of Fig. 6 except that instead of the slit, the opening is circular with a slitted section 31 extending toward the fold; In assembling this stay the tongue 32 is put, through opening'30 utilizing the slit 31 to provide adequate clearance for the'tongue.

Instead of using, in any oneof the modifications, the securing means as described above, any other securing means may be used, for example, the ends of the stay maybe secured to each other by means of an eyelet, or by means of any other penetrating fastener such as a rivet or by sewing. Alternatively, the ends may be fastened by means of an adhesive bond such as shown in Fig. 12. The only necessary requirement is that the unsecured intermediate portion of one element, between the securing means, be longer than the unsecured portion of the second element, thus resulting in the longer one being bowed away from the shorter one.

Infall of the above described modifications the two elements were formed from a single strip reversely folded upon itself wherein the fold acted as a securing means, for one end ofthe stay. In the modification shown in Fig. 9 the two elements are made from separate pieces of sheet material. In this modification, the longer element 33 has a tongue at each' end as shown at 37 and 38." The shorter element 34 has positioned near each endan opening 3'6fand 35. The device is assembled by inserting one tongue in each opening. This structure similarly provides for the bowing up of element 33.

Figs. and 11 show a similar structure except that the securing means comprises. eyelets 39 and. 40 which.

secure elements 41 and 42 to each other near their ends. I

Fig. 12 shows another modification of the two-piece stay. In this modification elements 45 and 46 are secured to each other near their ends by means of adhesive bonds as shown at 43 and 44. The adhesive bonds may comprise adhesives positioned between the two elements or, if the material used is heatrseelable, the two elements may be fastened by merely the application of heat.

In the modifications where two separate elements are used, the elements may be constructed from the same material as in the single strip modification. However, if desired, the two elements may be madefrom difierent materials.

Figs. 15-17 show another'modification which is analogous to the two-piece stay of Fig. 9. In these figures one side edge of element 51 is partially secured to the corresponding opposed side edge of element 50 preferably at-two spaced points 56 and 57 intermediate the securingmeans. 1 This stay is cut. from a-sihgle piece of sheet material and a slot 58 is provided separating the two elements 50 and 51. The two elements are secured to each other at pointsv 56 and 57'.

To assemble this stay, tongue 53 is inserted in opening and tongue 52 'is inserted in opening 54 to form a stay as shown in its closed position in Fig. 16. The sidee'dge of the stay where the two elements are secured together does not bow as much as the other side edge. However, sufiicient bow is provided to maintain the collar in the desired position, the two securing pieces .56; and 57 strengthening the stay. T

Fig. 18 shows a stay similar to that of Fig. 15. However, instead of the relatively wide slot 58, the stay of Fig. '18- has a narrow'slit 59. 6

Under certain circumstances, it is desirable to have a flat stay instead of the bowed stay as above described.

Such a Hat stay enables the use of materials such as Mylar" which, 'as pointed out, does'not come in thicknesses adequate for use in a single element stay.

Fig. 13 shows one modification ofsuch a stay having the two elements 47 and 48. The two elements 47 and 48'may be united by adhesive bond 49, if so desired, or they may be secured to each other in any other conventional manner, such as by sewing or by eyeletting, or it may be desirable to merely insert the double thickness into the collar 'without' havin'g the two elements permanently united to each other; The slot in the collar mayse'rve the function of holding themt'ogether.

A flat stay'can also be provided from a single sheet of material reversely folded upon'itself as'show n in Figs. 19 and 20. In Fig. 20 the two elements 62 and 63 are integrally attached at 64 and in usethe stay is folded at 64' to provide' a 'fla't 'stay having superposed similarly shaped elements. In Fig. 20 the two elements 66- and 67 are united along their long dimension at 68. Inuse this stay is folded at 68 to provide aflat stay.

The securing means for the two separate element stays such as shown in Figs. 9'through 13 or the st'ays'shown in Figs. 15 through 18 may, in addition to thosewhich have been described in connection wit li'these figfires, be

any onset t'lids'e des'cribed iii connection with any of the other figures or of any other equivalent securiiigfr'neans.

'Tlieabove described'st'ays'or theifeqiiivalen'ts' are in; serted into the collar' heai 'the'poifit's thereof assume inFi'g". r4: The eons; rea ent/ nneal co'llaif made' of a, plurality of plies uhitic d to each other: The stay. is posi tioried between twoplies stage collar and is either "permanently secured ass ssments"seq/ingot. the collar maybel provid ed withslots through the stayniay. be 'inserted and. removed 'trsdnesn'ed; V I i' Thus, there have, been provided. collar stays both flat and bowed which reduce the tendency of the ends or p01 ts ofr collars containing them to. curl away from the body of the wearer.

assener In the modifications wherein one element is longer than the other one to produce a bowed stay, the difference in length is not very great and may be of the order of 5 For example, in Fig. 2, the length of element 1 from fold 3 to shoulder 6 may be approximately 2%," while the length of element 2 from fold 3 to mid-point of opening 4 may be approximately 2%". In other Words, the longer stay is preferably from ,4, to A" longer than the other stay.

I claim:

1. A garment stay comprising at least two superposed stifii and springy elongated flat elements, each element having a first end and a second end, each end of one element being adjacent the corresponding end of the other element, means for securing the elements to each other near their ends, the intermediate portion of one element, between the securing means, being longer than the corresponding intermediate portion of the second element,

a resulting in the element having the longer intermediate portion being bowed away from the other element.

2. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein the securing means near one end comprises a penetrating fastening means.

3. A garment stay as in claim 2 wherein said fastening means is an eyelet.

4. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein the securing means near one end comprises an adhesive bond.

5. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein the securing means near one end comprises an opening near the end of one element and a tongue at the end of the second element, said tongue being positionable into said opening to secure the two elements to each other.

6. A garment stay as in claim 5 wherein the tongue is on the element having the longer intermediate portion.

7. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein the two elements comprise a single strip of sheet material, reversely folded upon itself, and wherein the fold provides a securing means at one end of the stay.

8. A garment stay as in claim 7 wherein the securing means near the second end comprises an opening near the end of one element and a tongue at the end of the second element, said tongue being positionable into ,said opening.

9. A garment stay as in claim 8 wherein the tongue is on the element having the longer intermediate portion.

10. A garment stay as in claim 7 wherein the securing means near the second end comprises an eyelet.

11. A garment stay as in claim 7 wherein the securing means near the second end comprises an adhesive bond.

12. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein each element comprises a separate strip of sheet material.

13. A garment stay as in claim 12 wherein the securing means comprises a penetrating fastening means.

14. A garment stay as in claim 12 wherein the securing means comprises an adhesive bond.

15. A garment stay as in claim 12 wherein the securing means comprises an opening near each end of one element and a tongue at each end of the second element, the tongues being positionable in the respective openings.

16. A garment stay as in claim 12 wherein the elements are made from sheet material comprising a terephthalic polyester resin.

17. A garment stay as in claim 1. wherein the elements are made from sheet material comprising a terephthalic polyester resin.

18. in a collar including at least two plies, a collar stay positioned between and substantially enclosed by the two plies near the points of the collar, said stay comprising at least two superposed stiil and springy elongated fiat elements, each element having a first end and a second end, each end of one element being adjacent the corresponding end of the other element, means for securing the elements to each other near their ends, the intermediate portion of one element, between the securing means, being longer than the corresponding intermediate portion of the second element, resulting in the element having the longer intermediate portion being bowed away from the other element, the element having the shorter intermediate portion facing the interior of the collar and the element having the longer intermediate portion facing the exterior of the collar.

19. A garment stay as in claim 1 wherein one side edge of one element is partially secured to the corresponding opposed side edge of the other element intermediate the securing means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 380,193 Day Mar. 27, 1888 772,159 Lassen Oct. 11, 1904 1,427,727 Fairless Aug. 29, 1922 1,515,447 Thomas Nov. 11, 1924 2,701,880 Sucher Feb. 15, 1955 2,849,719 Loew Sept. 2, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,269 Great Britain Jan. 16, 1913 470,270 Great Britain Aug. 12, 1937 190,993 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1937 197,770 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1938 1,052,300 France N Sept. 23, 1953 

